Neco Williams has emerged as a summer transfer target for both Manchester United and Newcastle United, with BBC Sport reporting that the two Premier League clubs have made their interest in the Nottingham Forest full-back known.
Williams, 25, joined Forest from Liverpool in the summer of 2022 and has since become an important part of the club's rise, attracting increasing attention as a result of his performances.
Reports in the spring suggested clubs from the Premier League and elsewhere in Europe were monitoring the Wales international, though no specific suitors were named at the time. It is now understood that United and Newcastle have both registered their interest with Forest, though it remains to be seen whether that translates into a concrete offer for the versatile defender.
Williams is under contract at the City Ground until the summer of 2029, giving Forest considerable leverage in any negotiations. The club are already working on a new deal to reward Williams following his impressive performances last season, when he was named the club's Player of the Season, and remain confident he will commit his future to Forest despite the interest from elsewhere. Aston Villa and Everton have also been credited with interest in the full-back in recent months.
Williams, who can play comfortably at both left-back and right-back, made 33 first-team appearances for Liverpool before leaving in search of regular football, and has since gone on to make well over 150 appearances for Forest, establishing himself as one of the division's more reliable full-backs. Forest paid a reported fee in the region of £17million to sign him from Anfield, a deal that now looks to represent excellent value given his subsequent development and the levels of interest he has generated from two of the Premier League's bigger clubs.
For Manchester United, Williams would offer competition and cover at both full-back positions, with Luke Shaw's fitness a recurring concern in recent seasons and question marks remaining over the club's options on the right.
Newcastle United, meanwhile, have long favoured players with Williams's combination of intensity and Premier League experience. Any move would likely require a substantial fee well above Forest's original outlay, given Williams's importance to a side pushing for another strong season.